I'll Stay By You
by wickedbad
Summary: A collection of stories exploring Chris and Josh's relationship. The stories aren't told in any particular order and don't always follow previous/future events. (Rated T for future chapters)
1. I Love You, And Merry Christmas

_It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go_.

Josh hummed along to the cheery tune; the festive music transported him to another world where he could be submerged in the moment. He was distracted, his only task at hand being the massive Christmas tree that stood in the corner of his small living room. The gigantic tree had been Chris's idea, of course; there was no way that he was going to give in to that artificial shit - that was for posers.

There were hundreds of tiny pine needles that coated the carpet, and they stuck to the bottom of Josh's socks, but he didn't mind. Not today, at least. In the future, he knew he'd be vacuuming the small space repeatedly (which would come to no avail; he was going to be finding needles for the next millennium), but that was something to worry about later.

He had been so caught up in the moment he hadn't heard the front door open. "Wow, I knew the Washingtons were quite the talented bunch, but I didn't realize they could sing, too."

Josh whirled around, nearly dropping the ornament in his hand as the blood rushed to his cheeks. He hadn't even realized he started singing along to the holiday playlist he put on. He had known Chris for most of his life, but there was something inside of him that just wouldn't let him put his guard down. But, Chris lived for the moments where he could catch a sense of Josh's free spirit; he loved watching him caught up in something he was passionate about, completely oblivious to the outside world.

"I, uh -" Josh rubbed his palm on the nape of his neck while he bashfully looked down. The heat in his cheeks burned; the temperature in the room had increased significantly in the past minute.

"Hey," Chris began as he walked over to his boyfriend, pulling him into his larger body. "Dude, I wasn't making fun of you; you have a great voice. Hell, tons better than I am! I can sing Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree for ya, if you want. Spoiler alert: it's awful."

Josh chuckled, the color of his face beginning to return to its normal shade. He felt the cold from outside still clinging to Chris's jacket, and he breathed in the scent of the hardware store he had just returned from. He took a step back, "Did you get the rest of the hooks?"

"Yup," Chris nodded as he lifted up a small gray plastic bag. "I know, good ahead and say it: I am the best. Ever."

Rolling his eyes, Josh took the bag and removed the package, opening the material to reveal a tangled mess of dark green ornament hooks. Chris made his way over to the crackling fire as he removed his boots, setting them atop the stone platform. He shimmied out of his coat, setting it by the gated flame to warm it up.

He strolled over to Josh, wrapping his arms around the shorter man's waist as he rested his chin on his shoulder. "Dude, this is looking great. You know, forget movies, I'm thinking you should be a professional Christmas tree decorator. Or, at least part-time."

Josh rolled his eyes as he leaned into Chris, feeling his chest raise with each breath taken. The two stood in the center of their humble living room, admiring the extravagant Christmas tree; it wasn't like a Washington was going to have anything less than.

"I can't believe this our first Christmas together," Josh sighed as he rested his head against the taller man's chest. Well, it wasn't their _first_ Christmas shared; the pair had spent many holidays together, exchanging gifts for one another and drinking hot cocoa, but this was different. This was their first Christmas as a _couple_. Josh had feared that things might be… strange, but it was just as normal - and, perhaps, a bit better - than before. He and Chris drove around their neighborhood, holding hands in the car, while admiring the intricate spectacle of lights their community had put on. They snuggled up on the sofa, a thick blanket draped over their tangled bodies, as they watched goofy holiday movies. It was, dare he say, almost perfect.

"And, it's going to be the best," Chris stepped away from Josh, taking his warmth with him, as he smirked deviously, "because I have got you the best gift of all time. I mean, seriously, it might be the greatest gift anyone will ever receive."

Josh rolled his eyes and sighed, "Dude, I told you not to get me anything; I was serious about that," He didn't want Chris spending his paycheck on him, especially when money was a bit tight. Of course, he had planned to shower Chris in an abundance of gifts (mostly gadgets that Josh wasn't even sure what to do with), but that was a different situation. One they didn't speak much about.

Chris grinned while he winked, "I know, but I just love to spoil you. Can't help it!" He noticed Josh's change in mood - something he was always very weary of - and placed his hands on his shoulders. "Bro, c'mon, this is the most wonderful time of the year; let's enjoy it. Start that merry music back up and let's finish making this the best tree mankind has ever seen."

Though the anxious thoughts would linger in the back of his mind, Chris knew how to improve Josh's mood. Chris walked over to speakers and pressed a few buttons before twirling around and lip-syncing along to an upbeat Christmas classic.

Josh groaned, "God, you're such an idiot," He tried to keep a straight face, but couldn't help himself. The sight of Chris's overexaggerated dancing was a definite mood-booster. Josh leaned down to free an ornament hook from the jumbled collection, and when he stood back up, he noticed Chris hovering before him.

"Dance with me, dude."

Josh shook his head, "No way," He tried to step past him, but Chris matched his movement, his smile taunting him. "Chris," He sighed, letting his arms fall to his sides in defeat.

"C'mon, man," Chris reached for his hands, holding them tightly in his own, "Let yourself go, for once. It's just us - no one can see you."

Josh wanted to resist, but he couldn't stop himself from smiling. Chris's cheers of encouragement motivated him more as he felt the movement in his hips. The two guys laughed at each other, dancing in the center of their modest living room to the beat of their favorite holiday classics. The moment was pure and lightening; a state of ease washed over Josh that he hadn't felt in quite some time. He was somewhere else - somewhere happy - truly enjoying the moment.

"Damn!" Chris exclaimed, "Who knew Joshua Washington was a triple threat. The whole package! And, I'm lucky enough to call him _my_ boyfriend."

The song ended, switching to another, slower tune. Chris swayed his hips, a bit off-rhythm from the song. There was something about the look of contentment in his eyes that made Josh's heart flutter. How did Chris manage to do this to him? He was some guy he'd been best friends with for years, and yet, here they were dancing in _their_ shared living room while they decorated _their_ Christmas tree.

Josh took a step toward Chris and grabbed his hands, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath his own. He brought his eyes to Chris's, taking a deep glance into them before pressing his lips against the other man's. After their lips fell into a rhythm, Josh separated his hands from Chris's and brought them to his face, pressing his palms against the stubble along Chris's jaw.

"I love you," Josh mumbled, _barely_ audible, against Chris's skin. He knew this was something special; Josh wouldn't just say this to anyone. No, it had to be someone just like Chris.

Chris sighed, a smile playing on his lips, "I love you," He winked, "And, Merry Christmas."


	2. Please Don't Leave Me

"Dude, virtual reality technology is the next frontier… I'm telling you, in a few years we aren't even going to have televisions anymore!" Chris strolled into Josh's bedroom, his backpack sliding off his shoulders as he plopped onto the large bed, sinking into the thick black duvet. His voice was brimming with excitement, the words spilling out of his mouth as his grin widened. He kept his palms down on the dark comforter, the cool material brushing against his skin.

Josh furrowed his brow as he followed into the room. He kicked the door with the tip of his boot, reaching out with his leg to close it. His backpack had been stashed under his desk, empty since he returned his textbooks, and collecting dust since its last use. As he reached down to untie his shoes, he glanced up at Chris, "You don't think that's a bit of an overstatement? No more TVs? I don't see it happening, bro."

Chris mirrored Josh's movements as he leaned over the bed to unlace his own dark boots. He tossed them toward the door, listening to the thud as they crashed against the wall, earning a stern look from the brunette.

"Dude, I just don't get why you're so against technology, especially considering all the cool shit you've got in here," He hopped up from the bed and headed over to the wooden drawer that had been placed catty corner along the wall. Chris reached out and grabbed a small device that left a rim of dust behind when he lifted it, "Like this… Bro, you don't even use this! This had to have cost, like, at least three hundred."

"Then you just have it," Josh snapped as he pushed the sleeves of his red plaid button-up to his forearms. His face was expressionless as he turned his back to his friend, arching over to collect the discarded boots and place them upright near the door.

Chris narrowed his eyes, limply placing the accessory back in its place. Taking a step toward the brunette, he tilted his head, "I was just kidding, Josh," He caught glimpse of a brief flash of agony wash across his friend's face. Reaching out, he placed his hand on his shoulder, "You alright, man?"

Josh nodded, his head bobbing back and forth one too many times. His front teeth scraped against his bottom lip, and he chewed on the spot, keeping his green eyes lowered to the ground. "Yeah, I'm fine… Sorry… I didn't mean it."

Chris drooped his shoulders as he kept his eyes on the brunette, "I know, but if you need to talk about something, I'm always here for you, dude."

"It's alright," He shrugged, sauntering toward his bed and tumbled onto it, laying on his stomach as he dangled his sock-clad feet in the air. He reached beside him and dug around in a laptop bag until he pulled out a silver computer and placed it on the bed in front of him. Looking back over his shoulder at the blond, he patted the spot next to him, "Are we gonna play or not?"

With a slight nod, Chris rubbed the nape of his neck as he retrieved his own laptop and crawled onto the large bed, his legs swinging off the side of the mattress. The tune of the familiar, intense timbre filled the room, a bit static from the computer's speaker quality. He ran his mouse over the black duvet, clicking around his home screen until he brought up his gaming application.

"Alright," Josh started, clearing his throat as he kept his eyes glued to his bright screen, "I'm close to a level. And, I need your help with this quest, bro; it's fucking killing me and the guide sucks."

Throughout the afternoon, their voices drained, replaced by the perpetual clicks and keyboard hits. Every once and awhile, a string of curses would come from one of the guys as they sighed in frustration. Out the windows, the sun began to sink below the horizon, leaving the two friends comfortable in the dark room, the only light source coming from the flashing screens before them.

" _Hnng_ ," Josh grumbled, the noise coming from deep within his chest. He pinched his eyes shut as he brought his palm to his forehead. With a deep sigh, he rolled onto his side, his breath coming out of him in a shaky gasp.

Beside him, Chris raised an eyebrow as he tore his glance away from his laptop screen. "You doin' alright, man?"

Without response, Josh lowered his head, pressing his face against the dark comforter and burying it there. His breathing had become unsteady and his body trembled, his back jerking as he clenched his fist around the blanket.

"Oh, shit," Chris jumped up and sat criss-crossed next to the brunette, hesitantly reaching out to place a sturdy hand on the upper portion of his back. His fingers grazed across the dark fabric of Josh's sweater, circling over the exposed skin of Josh's neck. "Hey, Josh, dude… What's wrong?"

This hadn't been the first time Josh had a break down on him. Throughout their long friendship, Chris had experienced Josh crying and melting down in front of him many times. Sometimes, Josh seemed like he was perfectly fine and then one small thing would set him off, sending him down a spiraling pit of distress. Other times, he would call Chris during the night, his voice breaking as he begged his best friend to remind him what he was seeing wasn't real. The agony that Josh experienced on a near daily basis made Chris' heart swell; the medicines that the doctors had put him on throughout his lifetime never seemed to do quite enough. Sure, they could make him stable, but they were never enough to fill the emptiness inside of him.

Chris pulled away from Josh's trembling body and wriggled to the top of the bed, pressing his back against the dark wooden headboard. He reached out and patted the space next to him, shaking the mattress as he did. "Josh, come here."

A deep sob came from Josh's body as he kept his face buried in the duvet. As Chris parted his lips to repeat his statement, Josh lifted his head, his eyes puffy and red as his bottom lip quivered. Chris nodded his head and widened his arms, pulling Josh into his embrace when he crawled over to him. He tightened his arms around the shorter man's body, placing his palm on his back, rubbing the area in rhythmic patterns. Josh shoved his face into the blond's shoulder, shaking with sadness as he bawled into his dark green sweater.

Chris rocked slightly, bringing his hand to the back of Josh's head, letting his fingers glide through the dark hair as he gently hushed his friend. "It's okay," He whispered running his palm along his neck and back. He brought his lips to Josh's ear and gently murmured, "I'm right here, man… You're okay...It's gonna be alright. Wanna tell me what's bothering you?"

Against his shoulder, Josh nodded, a deep sniffle coming from his body. He pulled himself away, his face red from the pressure beneath him. His bottom lip jutted out as he wrapped his arms around his body, swaying slightly as he did. "...medicine...it hurts…" Chris had been able to make out just a few words from Josh's incoherent mumbles, but it was enough for him to understand Josh's medication had been causing him much more pain than it should have been.

"Hey, breathe for me, Josh," Chris' voice was soft, just above a whisper, as he kept stroking the brunette's back. Josh did as told, a raspy noise rattling from his chest. He nodded as his brought his green eyes to Chris', his mouth twisting as he did. "Do you want me to stay the night with you? It's just my afternoon class tomorrow."

Josh nodded, swallowing hard as he bit his lip. He was digging into the skin hard, blood threatening to pour out of his self-inflicted wound. "Please don't leave me," He whispered, his voice shaking.

Chris reached out and pressed his cool palm on the side of Josh's cheek. The brunette's eyes fluttered shut as he buried his head into Chris' touch. He could feel Chris' thumb on his bottom lip and his body trembled. The physical contact triggered the endorphins, sending a wave of relief throughout his body. His heart rate began to settle as his headache began to fade. The world around him began to calm as his brain cleared up, the fog inside of him evaporating.

"I have an idea," Chris leaned away, getting off the bed, causing it to slightly creak. Josh tilted his head as he watched Chris make his way toward his bookshelf lined with hundreds of DVDs. Chris lowered his body as he scanned through the perfectly organized collection. His eyes searched the selection until he grinned, pulling one of the cases out of its spot. He held the DVD up, " _Psycho._ Always a good choice, right?"

A smile tugged at Josh's lips as he moved over to the other side of the bed, watching as Chris popped the disc into his laptop and set the computer in front of them on the comforter. With a slight grin, he hurried back onto the bed, keeping his body as close to Josh's as the space would allow. He reached for one of the thinner blankets underneath and draped it around their bodies, wrapping his long arm around the brunette's shoulders.

They had been in situations like this many times before. There had never been anything intimate about them, but that didn't stop Josh from imagining what it might have been like to spend a Friday night with Chris on _their_ couch as they watched a good movie and shared takeout food. But, the comfort of knowing his best friend was curled up beside him, willing to do this for him, was enough. With his breathing steadying, Josh leaned his head onto Chris' shoulder, his eyes darting back and forth as he took in the film. His nostrils filled with the scent of Chris' soft cologne, a smell that had calmed him throughout the years.

The opening crescendo filled the silence as Chris traced circles on Josh's upper arm. His chest heaved slightly, and Josh watched as the fabric of his light t-shirt rose. His eyes travelled from Chris' chest to his jawline, where a barely noticeable stubble had begun to grow. The blond's lips had parted as his light eyes remained glued to the screen; he was great at pretending to be interested in a film he had already seen hundreds of times before.

Chris felt Josh's eyes on him and he peered down, a soft grin tugging at his lips. The look on Josh's face was foreign to him; it was an expression he couldn't quite place. His heart began to race as he studied his friend. "What's up, dude? You feeling any better?"

He paused as he fixed his gaze on Chris. His lips parted, the words spilling out faster than he could stop them, "I really love you."

Chris' eyes widened as his mouth opened, his jaw slack as his body froze. He and Josh had exchanged countless expressions of admiration throughout the years, but this was different. There was a sincerity and tenderness he had never heard before.

 _Don't mess it up,_ Chris thought as he kept his gaze locked on Josh. Gently, he reached out with his free hand to cup Josh's chin, his pointer finger sinking lower to raise his head in his direction. When their eyes matched, he held his breath for a moment, searching Josh's eyes for something he never knew he wanted, before he whispered back:

"I love you so much."


	3. It Was Always You, Man

Chris wasn't sure how long he had known, but it had been a while. Since elementary school, he had aged right alongside Josh; they had suffered through the awkward stages of puberty together, complete with cracked voices and unfortunate cases of acne. But, the uncomfortable days of adolescence had passed, leaving the two as blossomed young men.

He wasn't oblivious to how well Josh had grown into his adult body; he was lean, yet lacked the muscle Chris had developed. Every now and then, he would let his stubble grow out, allowing short dark hairs to decorate his sharp jawline. His features had filled out over the years, and Chris found himself drawn to full lips and sculpted cheekbones. Josh had been blessed with great skin, and he overcame his pubescent acne much faster than his peers.

Out of the two, Josh had the coldest hands. It was a common joke between the friends that their body temperatures vastly differed. But, Chris would be lying if he said he didn't love how Josh's skin felt when their hands accidentally brushed against each other's. Their stark contrast in temperature often led to sleepovers that ended with the pair curled up in bed together, their bodies perfectly complementing each other.

Chris wasn't sure how long he had been thinking of Josh in ways other than 'just friends.' Over the years, their jokes had transformed from lighthearted banter to flirtatious teasing, and their group of friends had definitely picked up on it. Neither of the two seemed to mind the accusations regarding their relationship, yet that didn't stop Chris's stomach from jumping at the sight of his best friend's eyeing him across the room with enticing desire.

Yet, it would have been a shock for him to discover Josh felt the same way. He had known much longer than his friend, however. When Chris was busy mingling with different girls in middle school, Josh spent his time daydreaming about best friend. He loved the way Chris had grown into his body; he was muscular, tall, and thicker in places Josh had never been able to be due to his medication.

At night, when his teenage hormones would get the best of him, Josh would find himself laying on his back, bedroom door locked as his fingers splayed against himself. He'd tilt his head back, lips parted as visions of his best friend popped into his mind. God, he didn't even want to imagine what Chris would think if he knew his _best friend_ was jerking off to the thought of _his_ fingers wrapped around him.

After a night like that, he would see Chris in school the next day, unable to stop himself from wondering what he would feel like pressed against him. The warmth of Chris's hands would burn against his cool skin, but he wouldn't mind. No, not in the slightest. Instead of focusing on his schoolwork, his mind would wander to how Chris's lips would taste against his own; maybe salty, sweet, or a new flavor humanity had yet to discover.

It wasn't much of a surprise to anyone (except them, of course) when the pair found themselves pressed against each other on Josh's leather couch, bellies full and warmed with alcohol. Their hands explored uncharted territory - places they had kept to themselves throughout their growing years. Chris sat with his back against the couch cushion, Josh straddling him. He lowered his hands, placing them on the brunette's hips, keeping him in place on his lap. Humming against Josh's skin, he planted kisses along the curve of his friend's neck.

Josh rolled his hips against Chris's, causing him to press the back of his head further into the dark couch cushion, a moan escaping his lips. Josh mumbled to himself as he brought his lips to his friend's, biting, sucking, and licking on his bottom lip. As things continued to heat up between them, the gears in Chris's brain began to turn as he gripped onto Josh tighter, pulling himself upward to grab a fistful of dark hair.

Josh's head fell back, a deep moaning coming from inside his throat as he lost his concentration on the kiss. Chris's blue eyes were full of lust as he pushed his best friend onto his back, hovering over him as his warm breath tickled cool skin. Josh snaked his hands up to place his palms on Chris's neck, his heart beating rapidly inside his chest as he waited for the other boy to do _something_.

Chris pressed himself closer into him, rolling his lips to increase the friction. Josh parted his lips to groan, but was interrupted by the sucking sound that came from Chris's lips against his neck. A choked sob came from his mouth, a noise that Chris had _definitely_ never heard from his best friend before. God, and _he_ had caused it; _he_ was making his best friend create the most arousing sounds he had ever heard.

In a moment that lasted either a second or a lifetime, Chris had his lips pressed against Josh's once again, removing his hands from the other's waist to lift wandering arms above the brunette's head. With his fingers curled around Josh's wrists, he rolled his hips against his, stifling a deep exhale.

From beneath him, Josh chuckled; it was an action that seemed wildly inappropriate for their current situation. With a crease forming his brow, Chris lifted his body, moving himself to a straddling position. "What's funny?" He asked as insecurity blossomed inside of him.

Josh's green eyes danced back and forth, a twinkle forming in them Chris had only seen due to the powers of alcohol. "What are we doing, Cochise? You don't think that maybe we've had a bit too much to drink?"

Chris frowned. He had been waiting for this moment for a while, and the alcohol had given him the courage to finally do something about his feelings for his best friend. "I… I've been wanting to do this for a while," He admitted, sheepishly.

Josh's eyes softened, and the smirk faded from his lips, "Oh…" He nodded to himself as his tongue darted out to lick his bottom lip, "I mean, so have I… I just… didn't think… I thought maybe you were just…"

"Nah, man," Chris smiled as he lifted his hand to cup Josh's cheek. His thumb pressed against the corner of the brunette's mouth, and Josh's eyes fluttered beneath his touch. "I've been thinking about this since _at least_ sophomore year, dude."

Josh's heart swelled with happiness as he searched his friend's light eyes, "Sixth grade for me, man. I think twelve year old me would be pretty stoked about this if he knew."

"It was always you, man. Even when I was chasing all those girls in school; I did it because I never thought in a _million_ years you'd have a thing for me," He chuckled to himself as he ran his hand through his blond hair, "I mean, I thought you were straight… And, you're like, really hot, dude."

Josh lifted his hips to buck them against Chris's, resulting in a sharp exhale from his friend. "Are you gonna keep drooling over me, or are you gonna kiss me, Cochise?"

With nothing to offer except an eye roll and soft chuckle, Chris dipped his head and pressed his lips against Josh's. He wanted to lay on the couch together forever, body temperatures contrasting and tasting Josh's lips as a mixture of salty, sweet, and some flavor he had never experienced before.

* * *

 **Sup so I know I did that thing where I jumped into the making out with like NO explanation, but it had to be done, my dudes. Anyway, I've had some pretty bad writer's block, so I'm hoping this fic will bring me out of it, and I can get some good climbing class content coming soon.**


	4. Massage

"Dude, you have the tightest shoulder muscles I've ever felt," Chris commented as he sat criss-cross behind Josh, working his fingers into the dark fabric of the brunette's t-shirt. "But, have no fear, because as soon as I'm finished with you, you're gonna feel _incredible_."

Josh stifled a moan, and he couldn't help but imagine Chris saying those words in reference to… _something else_. The blond hadn't seemed to notice the choking sound that lodged itself inside Josh's throat, and he exhaled, fluttering his eyelids as Chris's fingers massaged his tight muscles. Truth be told, Josh spent the majority of his time feeling tense, so it didn't come as a surprise that his muscles matched his mood. But, underneath the soft touch of Chris's fingers, he felt all his uneasiness melt.

"Mhmm," Chris hummed to himself, concentrated on his work, as his fingers grazed a tight spot on his friend's back. Josh was thankful he couldn't see his face, because he was fairly positive his mouth was agape, drool threatening to spill out the corners. His eyes were half-lidded, fluttering every now and then when Chris's fingers touched his exposed skin. Physical contact with Chris was normally something Josh didn't spend too much time thinking about; it was fairly common for the two friends to give each other hugs and, hell, even back rubs, but it had never been like this. The soft vibrations coming from Chris's mouth made Josh shudder, and he could feel his excitement swelling in his abdomen.

 _Fuck_ , he cursed to himself, _he's turning me on… I need to do something about this… This has to stop, he can't…-_

A sudden change in pressure of Chris's fingers against a particularly tight spot on Josh's neck caused the brunette to tilt his head back, a deep moan escaping from his lips. "God, Chris," He groaned raspily as his eyes fluttered. Chris's hands suddenly disappeared, the loss of contact making him feel cold.

 _Shit_.

Josh's eyes widened at the realization of what he had done. He turned to face his friend, feeling the heat rushing to his cheeks. Chris sat behind him, cheeks just as reddened as he lowered his light eyes to his lap. He suddenly became _very_ aware of the aching feeling in his lower body, and he dropped his hands to cover the area.

 _Fuck, why did I do that?_

"I… That was weird, I just…" He choked on his words, trying to force _something_ to come out that could smooth over the situation. Besides, if anyone could laugh off something like Josh Washington moaning his best friend's name, it was definitely Chris. He brought his hand to the nape of his neck and rubbed the skin as he swallowed nervously, "It felt really good… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to weird you out."

Chris lifted his gaze, "It didn't… I've just never heard… I've never heard you like that."

He felt a knot forming in his throat; this was becoming awkward. He cursed to himself, thinking about how good of a job he had been doing hiding his attraction for Chris throughout the years… How did something as simple as a back massage break him?

"Yeah," Josh offered, running his hand through his dark hair, "I usually don't just… _moan_ in front of my friends. I'll have to work on that," He chuckled nervously, hoping Chris would drop it and they could move on.

There was a pause as Chris lowered his eyes once again. He was trying to say something, but couldn't find the words. After a horribly long beat, he parted his lips, "I… I kinda liked it… Like, how it sounded," He stared at Josh, a strange softness taking over his blue eyes as he bobbed his head a few times, "Dude, I… really liked it."

 _What is he saying?_ Josh could barely hear his own thoughts through the intense pounding in his ears. His bottom lip quivered as he watched Chris position himself on his knees and crawl closer to him, hovering just inches away from his body. _What is he doing?_

"Dude, tell me to fuck off before I do something stupid," Chris breathed, his lips almost brushing against Josh's.

Josh was frozen, unable to move or think. Hell, if he was being honest, he didn't want to. He had been imagining a moment like this for years; Chris hovering over him, lips close to touching.

Without thinking, he closed his eyes and quickly pressed his lips against his friend's. After a second, the pair gasped, but neither pulled away. Chris tilted his head, deepening the kiss as Josh placed his hands on the sides of the blond's face.

Josh heard Chris mumble something he couldn't make out as he began to pull his lips away from the brunette. With a crease forming in his brow, he leaned his head back to look at his friend. "What did you say?" The blood rushed to his cheeks; this was a mistake, wasn't it?

Chris cleared his throat, "I wanna hear it again," He stared at Josh, whose blank expression told him he wasn't picking up on his clues. With a soft eye roll, he explained, "I wanna hear you make that noise again."

If he had been a little more unhinged, the lust in Chris's voice might've coaxed it out of him right then. "Okay… Okay…" He spoke more to himself than to his friend as he nodded his head, leaning back against the bed to press his back against the pillows. Chris hovered over him, placing his hands on either sides of his body as he dipped his head down to press his lips against the sensitive skin of Josh's neck.

Josh hummed underneath Chris's touch and tilted his head back give the blond more room to kiss his skin. Through his excitement, he had almost managed to forget the ache in his lower body, but he was quickly reminded when Chris rolled his hips against him.

" _Fuck,_ " Josh exhaled, his eyes fluttering as his grip tightened on Chris's upper arms. "God, do it again… _Please_."

A devilish smirk flashed across Chris's face as his eyes turned dark with lust, "Only if you make that sound for me again," He winked as he lowered his head to Josh's jawline, gently tugging on the skin with his teeth.

 _Shit, this has to be a dream_ , Josh thought as he felt Chris's warm breath tickle his skin. He pressed his head further into the pillows as Chris sucked on a sensitive spot below his earlobe.

"Oh... God, _Chris_ ," The choked sound earned him what he wanted: Chris's hips were pressed against his once again, moving against the ache in his lower body. He kept the movement going, turning Josh into a complete and utter mess as he curled his fingers in Chris's short hair.

 _Fuck… Fuck, I'm gonna… Not like this…_

"Chris… Not… Not this way," He panted, feeling Chris stop his movement as he continued to hover over him. Josh offered half a smile and reached out to stroke the side of his friend's face, his thumb resting on his bottom lip, "This is good… _Really good_ , but…-"

Chris smiled as he rolled off of him, laying next to him on his side. "I get it, dude; there's no need to rush into this. But, whenever you're ready, just know I am too."

Josh felt his throat tighten as he looked at his best friend. He chuckled to himself, gently biting his lower lip as he spoke, "Dude, you know I love you, right? Like, a lot. I know I never say it, but… This…" He gestured between them, "is good, man. This is really good."

"I know," Chris returned the grin as he scooted closer to Josh, pressing his lips against his again, "It's really good."


End file.
